I bombed my first automation interview.
"How would you automate checkout with multiple addresses, payment methods, and coupons?"
I froze. I knew Selenium automation testing syntax but couldn't translate scenarios into test logic.
Then I found this TestLeaf blog with 15 e-commerce scenarios - How to write automation script that changed everything.
The Gap
I'd learned tools, not thinking. The blog showed: interviews test how you think, not just what you know.
That checkout scenario?
Strategy: Data-driven testing
Steps: Login → Add product → Select address/payment → Apply coupon → Validate total → Place order
Simple structure I'd never thought about.
Scenarios That Click
Three that transformed my interviews:
Dynamic Pricing
Calculate expected total in code. Don't hardcode.
javadouble expectedTotal = basePrice - discount + tax;
Assert.assertEquals(uiTotal, expectedTotal);
Inventory Mid-Checkout
Test graceful failure, not just happy paths.
javaif (status.equals("Out of Stock")) {
Assert.assertTrue(addToCartButton.isDisabled());
}
Flash Sale Timing
Validate price before, during, after sale window.
Automation testing classes rarely teach this thinking.
What Stuck
Automation = translating business logic into validation.
Now I:
Identify what changes (data, state, time)
Pick strategy (data-driven, conditional, API)
Write clear steps
Define bug-catching assertions
Interview Transformation
Next question: "Automate product filtering with size, color, brand, price?"
Old me: "Click filters?"
New me: "Apply filters, fetch products, validate each matches criteria programmatically."
Landed the offer.
Patterns I Learned
Data-driven for variations
Conditional logic for states
Calculated assertions for pricing
API validation for backend
Graceful failure testing
These work beyond e-commerce. They're how you think about Selenium automation testing for any app.
My Framework
Think in:
Strategy (approach)
Steps (actions)
Validations (proof)
Edge cases (breaks)
That's what actually scales.
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